City OKS tougher stance on derelict property owners

After months of debate and legal tweaking, members approved an ordinance that will give the city a beefed-up regulation and tougher penalties to go after owners of derelict rental property.

The council voted 8-1 to approve the ordinance, which goes into effect immediately.

District 5 Alderman Clifton Jones Jr. voted against it, saying the ordinance did not address one important party in addressing upkeep or criminal activity.

"I do not think the tenant is being addressed in this ordinance," he said. "And I think it should be."

Other council members, however, said approving the ordinance is a significant step toward a major city initiative to clear the city of blight.

City Manager Michael Brown said city staff already has begun identifying some of the more egregious and flagrant cases around the metro area. Once the council appoints members of a code enforcement board, he said, cases could be brought "within weeks," he said.

The ordinance gives the city an alternate means of taking action against derelict property owners. Rather than have cases go through Recorder's Court, they can be routed to the city's enforcement board.

Language added to the amendment allows a property owner to be cited for violations that put the health or safety of a third person at risk. The penalty would be up to $1,000 per day. Violations that do not involve health or safety risks cannot have a total penalty of more than $1,000.

About to 'Thrive'

At the workshop session Thursday, council members began mapping out another initiative: Thrive.

It's a catchphrase meant to reflect the city's efforts to become more environmentally responsible. Citizens will be hearing and learning much more about it in the coming weeks.

For more than a year, city staffers have been working to establish a baseline of the city's energy usage.

Now that they have those foundation numbers in place, every department will begin sweeping efforts to reduce energy consumption.

City residents are going to be asked to pledge their efforts, too.

Council members got their first look at the city's 2008 Sustainability Program at the workshop.

The big number: 75.3 tons.

That's the equivalent in greenhouse gases the city government produced in 2006 through energy use and waste generation.

Pledge is next

The city's next big effort will be to pledge to reduce its emissions by 15 percent by the year 2020.

It will require a resolution approved by the City Council, but aldermen on Thursday indicated their initial approval.

If Savannah does adopt the standard, it would become the first city in the state to adopt the standard, which Gov. Sonny Perdue issued as a statewide challenge, said Jennie Payne, management services coordinator for the Management & Financial Services Bureau.

The city will present the project findings at a town hall meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Savannah Civic Center.

Millage rate

The city approved its 2008 millage rate of $12.50 for every $1,000 in assessed value.